Systems Engineering Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Location: Herndon, VAEmployment Type: Full-TimeClearance: TS/SCI Poly

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced, hands-on Systems Engineering Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support a complex technical environment in Herndon, Virginia.

This position is ideal for a senior technical leader with broad, practical expertise across enterprise infrastructure, cloud platforms, networking, operating systems, containers, databases, applications, security, and DevSecOps.

The Systems Engineering SME will assess current-state environments, develop future-state architectures, and lead complex implementations and modernization efforts from design through production. This individual will serve as a technical authority and escalation point while working closely with infrastructure, platform, software, DevOps, security, and data teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform full-stack systems engineering across network, compute, storage, operating systems, middleware, databases, and application environments.
• Assess and document existing "as-is" architectures and develop detailed "to-be" architectures.
• Develop implementation, migration, modernization, and upgrade strategies.
• Lead complex cloud, hybrid, and on-premises implementations and migrations.
• Design systems for availability, scalability, performance, security, and compliance.
• Integrate infrastructure and platforms with DevOps/DevSecOps and CI/CD pipelines.
• Troubleshoot complex technical issues spanning multiple infrastructure and application domains.
• Collaborate with infrastructure, platform, software engineering, DevOps, security, and data teams.
• Develop technical documentation, architecture diagrams, standards, implementation plans, and operational runbooks.
• Serve as a senior escalation point and technical authority for complex system issues and architectural decisions.
• Communicate technical concepts, risks, recommendations, and strategies to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders, including executive leadership.

Required Skills & Experience

Candidates should possess extensive hands-on systems engineering experience across several of the following areas:

Infrastructure & Networking

• Enterprise networking
• Firewalls, load balancers, and DNS
• SAN, NAS, and object storage
• Hybrid and on-premises infrastructure integration

Cloud & Containers

• AWS, Azure, and/or GCP
• Cloud networking and security
• Cloud cost optimization
• Kubernetes
• Docker
• Hybrid cloud architectures

Linux & Systems Administration

• Linux administration, particularly RHEL/CentOS
• Operating system hardening
• System automation
• PKI and identity management

Databases & Application Infrastructure

• Relational and NoSQL database technologies, including experience with platforms such as:*
  • Oracle
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • SQL Server
  • MongoDB
  • Cassandra
  • DynamoDB
  • Redis
• APIs and web services
• Middleware technologies
• Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) fundamentals
• Event messaging technologies such as SQS, SNS, and RabbitMQ

Infrastructure as Code & Automation

• Terraform
• Ansible
• CloudFormation
• Python
• Bash
• PowerShell

DevOps / DevSecOps

• CI/CD concepts and implementation
• Jenkins
• GitLab CI/CD
• GitHub Actions
• ArgoCD
• Integration of systems and platforms into DevOps/DevSecOps workflows

Security & Observability

• Security best practices and system hardening
• Monitoring, logging, and observability technologies such as:*
  • Prometheus
  • Grafana
  • Splunk
  • ELK
  • CloudWatch

Architecture & Technical Leadership

• Demonstrated ability to assess complex production environments and create comprehensive as-is and to-be architectures.
• Experience developing detailed implementation and migration plans.
• Ability to move between high-level architecture and hands-on technical implementation.
• Proven ability to design, build, troubleshoot, and take ownership of complex production systems.
• Strong systems-thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate across technical disciplines and communicate effectively with executive-level stakeholders.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience designing or supporting Zero Trust architectures.
• Exposure to AI/ML or data platforms.
• Experience with big data technologies such as:*
  • Hadoop
  • Databricks
  • Snowflake
  • BigQuery
• Experience supporting mission-critical systems and environments.
• ITIL and/or Agile delivery experience.
• Relevant cloud, security, DevOps, or architecture certifications, such as:*
  • AWS Solutions Architect
  • AWS DevOps
  • Azure Administrator
  • CKA / CKAD
  • ITIL

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is not solely an architect or administrator, but a hands-on technical SME who can operate across the entire technology stack. They should be equally comfortable developing an enterprise architecture, working through a difficult production issue, planning a cloud migration, automating infrastructure, and communicating technical recommendations to senior leadership.

This position is well suited for an experienced Systems Engineer or Architect who enjoys solving complex, cross-domain technical challenges and taking ownership of systems from architecture and design through implementation and production operations.

Benefits

This position offers a highly competitive, employer-supported benefits package, including:

• 5 weeks of PTO plus birthday leave

• 11 floating holidays

• 401(k) with 10% employer contribution

• Multiple medical plan options through Anthem, including:

  • Platinum PPO national plan

  • Gold PPO national plan

  • Gold HMO HSA national plan

• Employer-paid dental coverage through Delta Dental PPO Plus Premier

• Employer-paid vision coverage through VSP / DeltaVision

• Employer-paid Life and AD&D coverage at 2x salary, up to $400,000

• Optional voluntary Life and AD&D coverage from $10,000 to $500,000, not to exceed 5x salary

• Employer-paid Short-Term Disability, covering 60% of salary up to $2,500

• Employer-paid Long-Term Disability, covering 60% of salary up to $10,000 per month

• Health Savings Account availability, depending on selected health plan

• $1,000 annual Lifestyle Savings Account

• $5,000 annual professional development reimbursement for degrees, training, and certifications

• $1,000 annual technology reimbursement

• Candidate referral bonus program, up to $10,000

• Discretionary profit sharing

• Discretionary performance bonus opportunities

• New contract bonus opportunities, up to $10,000

• Employer-paid access to online training through Udemy and Paylocity

• Optional pet insurance through Pets Best

• Access to Working Advantage employee discounts and rewards programs at no cost

About the Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for a Full Stack Software Developer with strong cloud, data analytics, and application development experience to support high-impact mission work. The selected candidate will contribute to modern, scalable, and secure software solutions that improve data processing, analytics, search, automation, and enterprise digital architecture across a mission-critical environment.